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KING’S PREPARATORY SCHOOL 1^st XV RUGBY REPORT 2012

Sport: Rugby

Team: 1^st X

Captain: Joseph Hicks and Owen Luckhurst

Coach: Mr. P. N. Medhurst

Team Members:

The following boys represented the side this year: Destiny Aghatise, Giuseppe Barbaccia, Ashley Barnes, Daniel Body, Riley Butler, Cameron Cochrane, Ethan Green, William Gressier, Tahir Hafeez, Rakan Harrison, Joseph Hicks, Tom Jones, Harry Kemsley, Jack Lawrence, Owen Luckhurst, Timothy Ma, Joseph Shepherd, Evan Stokes, Alexander Way and James Woolford.

Colours:

Full - Destiny Aghatise, Rakan Harrison, Joseph Hicks and Owen Luckhurst,

Half - Giuseppe Barbaccia, Daniel Body, Riley Butler, Cameron Cochrane, Ethan Green, William Gressier, Tahir Hafeez, Tom Jones, Harry Kemsley, Timothy Ma, Joseph Shepherd, Evan Stokes, Alexander Way and James Woolford.

Representative Honours: None

Results:

Rochester Mathematical School (Away) Lost 57-14

Chatham House Grammar School (Away) Lost 29-19

Ashford School (Home) Won 66-0

Chiselhurst and Sidcup Grammar School (Away) Lost 41-5

St. Dunstan’s College (Home) Lost 28-31

Sutton Valence (Away) Lost 17-0

Gravesend Grammar School (Home) Won 54-17

Holmewood House School (Away) Won 12-14

Kent College (Home) Won 54-0

Bickley Park Preparatory School (Home) Won 56-12

Maidstone Grammar School (Home) Lost 7-25

Gad’s Hill School (Home) Won 36-24

Ashford School (Away) Won 5-59

Wellesley House (Away) Lost 25-21

St. Lawrence College (Away) Lost 55-12

Duke of Yorks’ Royal Military School (Home) Won 47-21

Gad’s Hill School (Home) Won 71-26

Played 17; Won 9; Drawn 0; Lost 8; Points For 563; Points Against 397.

Points’ Scorers:

Destiny Aghatise - 135 (27 tries)

James Woolford - 106 (53 conversions)

Rakan Harrison - 90 (18 tries)

Owen Luckhurst - 65 (13 tries)

Timothy Ma - 35 (seven tries)

Cameron Cochrane - 30 (six tries)

Giuseppe Barbaccia and Tahir Hafeez - 20 (four tries each)

Riley Butler - 15 (three tries)

Tom Jones - 14 (seven conversions)

Joseph Hicks - 13 (one try and four conversions)

Ashley Barnes, Daniel Body, Ethan Green and Harry Kemsley all scored one try apiece.

Report:

Victory in the season’s curtain-raiser, when the Preparatory School claimed the Granville Tournament Sevens Shield for the third time in four seasons, presaged a successful term and, while the team faltered at times, on balance this was pleasing year. Aside from the Granville Sevens, nine wins were recorded and 87 tries were scored in a busy season. On its day the team was a formidable one, combining power and pace. However, the squad was small, with only twenty boys representing the school’s senior team and the lack of depth was exposed in fixtures against grammar schools with 150+ boys from which to select. Injuries to Timothy Ma and Joe Hicks meant that at no time did the first-choice selection take to the field. There were a number of outstanding displays and the Paddock became something of a fortress again, with narrow defeats against St. Dunstan’s and Maidstone Grammar being the only losses on home turf. Conversely, King’s rarely travelled well, and the players seemed particularly to take against the sea air, suffering disappointing defeats on its visit to the seaside! (Note to Mr Mitchell – future tours to be arranged only to land-locked Switzerland or Uzbekistan). However, a win at Holmewood House showed that travel sickness was not always an affliction. Success, home or away, against the Tunbridge Wells side is always a true measure of a team’s standing in the pecking order and a 14-12 victory in this contest confirmed that this was, indeed, a good year, if not quite a vintage one.

The pack was not often matched in the set scrum, much to the credit of the front-row of Tahir Hafeez, Joe Shepherd and Timothy Ma, while Giuseppe Barbaccia and Evan Stokes proved a fruitful source of lineout ball. The team lacked a truly destructive back-row, although Rakan Harrison and Owen Luckhurst’s combined tally of 31 tries showed that they carried the ball effectively, and it was unusual for Tom Jones to miss a tackle. The forwards often rucked well, despite sometimes lacking dynamism, and good ball presentation on the ground was a strong feature of the breakdown.

The three-quarters enjoyed much possession, with James Woolford and Riley Butler growing in confidence at half-back, although only four tries were scored by wingers. The main focus of the attack was Destiny Aghatise, whose speed and strength yielded 27 tries, most of them from deep within his own half. Few opponents, or referees for that matter, could keep pace with him, although his tendency to cut back into traffic sometimes gave opposition a sporting chance. Destiny was the side’s principal threat and play was centred on him, often leading to a predictability, which was a weakness. James Woolford’s remarkable record of 53 conversions is worthy of note, but the absence of a tactical kicker to turn the opposition was a shortcoming.

Cameron Cochrane proved to be an intelligent centre, running effective lines and distributing well, while Joe Hicks was the architect of much that was good in attack and a destructive midfield tackler. The back three was rotated, with Ashley Barnes, Daniel Body, Ethan Green, William Gressier, Harry Kemsley and Alexander Way sharing these berths. In truth, the wide defence was vulnerable and this proved our undoing in defeat.

With fixtures on every Saturday, the squad’s commitment is to be applauded: non-availability, other than through injury, was rarely an issue, and all the afore-mentioned deserve credit. Joe Hicks captained by example and, in his absence, Owen Luckhurst was a determined leader, never once complaining about the toll of his combined duties as a sportsman and Head Chorister. Alongside Destiny Aghatise and Rakan Harrison, this pair will serve as the core of a strong team moving into the Senior School. This quartet is to be especially commended and each are awarded full-colours, with half-colours going to those who served so loyally. In addition, the Sanderson Cup for the most Improved Player is presented to Destiny Aghatise. While there are many candidates for this trophy, few would deny that Destiny’s contribution this season merits particular acclaim.

As always, my thanks go to my colleagues, Mr Johnston, Mr Knight, Mr Mitchell, Mr Moore and Mr Taylor, who have shared the coaching and refereeing duties of this squad, and the loyal group of parents who gave of their support so generously.

Reported by: P. N. Medhurst